Eric Morken: Gear that stood out from the 2024 bowhunting season

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January and February for a deer hunter are the months to reflect on what went right and wrong during the recently-completed season when it’s still fresh in one’s mind. 

What deer do one year won’t necessarily be the case the following season. Landscapes can change, but there’s also many situations that are repeatable. 

Bucks, especially during the rut, are going to use their noses to efficiently navigate a landscape. If you saw something that makes sense as to why that deer was traveling where he was, remember the details about it.

What was the habitat? What time of year was it? What was the wind direction, and how was he moving based on all of those factors? 

If you analyze the “why” behind the deer sightings you have, you will position yourself for more consistent success. Stick with what worked and adjust from what didn’t. 

I think of gear in a similar way. What did I utilize throughout a season that made me a more effective hunter? What could I change? 

Here are some gear items that stood out through bowhunting many days from early season to late season in 2024.

What works during frigid sits?

Late season is the time of year when good gear matters most. 

Being from Minnesota, these hunts can come in brutal conditions. One late-December hunt in 2024 featured real-feel temperatures of nearly 15-below zero. I set up in my saddle and hunted for almost four hours that evening.

The right gear can keep a person in the woods in even the worst of conditions.

My top layers featured Sitka’s core merino 220 half zip, Fanatic hoodie, Ambient Jacket and Fanatic Jacket, along with the Fanatic Beanie. The bottoms were a heavyweight bottom, Equinox Midi Pant and Fanatic bibs. My upper and lower body remain comfortable in the coldest conditions I have hunted in with this setup. 

I pieced together this late-season system from Sitka over the course of multiple years. While those under layers are important, I would start by making the investment in the Fanatic jacket and bibs.

You get incredible protection from the wind with these two pieces. It’s quiet with the Berber fleece face, and the insulation through the jacket is perfectly placed to keep you warm for hours in the stand while not being restrictive when it come to your ability to draw a bow.

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Keeping hands and feet warm has been a series of trial and error that I feel like I have finally found a solution for. The built-in hand muff on the Fanatic jacket does a great job of keeping hands warm until it’s time to grab a bow. 

That’s where Sitka’s Incinerator Flip Mitt comes in. I have tried to get by with less bulky options, but it’s nearly impossible to hold a bow for minutes on end when surrounded by deer if you’re using a thinner glove in this type of cold.

The Baffin Titan is the best boot I have ever worn in extremely cold temperatures when you need something waterproof and warm. This is a heavy boot. Walking a mile into a spot would be a chore, but this boot does an incredible job of keeping feet warm in the worst temperatures. 

Iron Will K1 Ultralight Hunting Knife

I was in the market for a new hunting knife after the blade on one I have used for almost a decade broke off while butchering a doe.

Iron Will makes great broadheads. I have used their single bevel with bleeder blades each of the last four seasons, so the trust I have built up through many filled tags with those broadheads made me look at their knives. 

The K1 Ultralight Hunting Knife is incredibly compact. I weighed it at just 2 ounces with the sheath on.

Some may like a bigger handle, but that small package was important to me. I pack in enough gear when hunting from a saddle. It’s easy to forget this knife is even in your pack until it’s time to field dress a deer. 

One thing to note, the A2 tool steel used with Iron Will blades is not stainless. Don’t store it a long time without wiping blood off the blade, and it’s recommended to apply a light coating of wax or mineral oil to the steel after use.

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The A2 tool steel Iron Will uses to produce edges with 60 HRC hardness means this knife holds an incredibly sharp edge. That makes for a clean gutting and quartering process, and it’s easy to resharpen when the time comes. My expectation is that this is the last hunting knife I will need through the rest of my life.

Gear for saddle hunting

When it comes to gear for saddle hunting, I want items that help me be more comfortable and efficient. It’s why I was interested in a couple of new items from Latitude Outdoors. 

The profile saddle platform folds down nicely to fit in a pack, and the front edge that angles downward really makes it a comfortable platform. I have dealt with foot fatigue on other platforms, and it is noticeably reduced with an angled edge.

There was a minor DIY job needed with the profile platform because the adjustment knob came unattached from the leveling bolt when it met some resistance. That was an easy fix after applying a little superglue.

A smaller item from Latitude is the Bite Bow Hanger. This is a great addition for the public-land hunter who can’t use screw-in hangers on trees. Slip the bow hanger on your gear strap and it provides a stable connection with a rotating standoff that helps it securely fit on each tree.

The extended arm gave me plenty of space between the bow and the tree to hang my quiver from the gear hook. The bow slides on and off of this hanger easily and quietly.